Meanings
machiavellize1
present singular third person machiavellizes · participle present machiavellizing · participle past machiavellized · past machiavellized
- alternativeAlternative form of Machiavellize.
All princes, ecclesiastical and secular, machiavellized (80-8 1).
1992, Nancy S. Struever, Theory as Practice: Ethical Inquiry in the Renaissance, page 2123 more examples
Antonelli has machiavellized the Pontiff, who commenced his career as a Reformer.
1867, Jacques Abbadie, Chemical change in the eucharist, page 122He imitated Guicciardini's objectivity, was influenced by De Thou's fulness of narration, and “machiavellized” all his personages, as Fenelon said long ago.
1958, James Westfall Thompson, A History of Historical Writing, page 568Robert Bolton captured the general view when he explained that ambitious rulers "will not sticke to lie, dissemble, breake their words, forsweare, machiavellize, practice any policy or counterpolicy to honesty, reason, religion.”
1970, Yale Historical Publications: Miscellany - Issue 92, page 9
Machiavellize2
present singular third person Machiavellizes · participle present Machiavellizing · participle past Machiavellized · past Machiavellized · alternative machiavellize · alternative Machiavellise · alternative machiavellise
- To behave in a Machiavellian manner; to be cunning and manipulative.
The boss has the magic of dividing the workers, he 'Machiavellizes. '
1983, Geoffrey E. Fox, Organizing the New Immigrants, page 62 more examples
These were the Machiavellisms that the ancient ages produced for us before Machiavelli was in the world, and an infinity of persons Machiavellize among us today who have never read his books.
1992, Peter S. Donaldson, Machiavelli and Mystery of State, page 149D'Aubigne had to admit that "our kings have learnt to Machiavellize."
1999, The American Scholar - Volume 68, page 85 - To make Machiavellian.
Clearly Nifo, generally condemned for having Aristotelized Machiavelli, was not averse to Machiavellizing Aristotle when appropriate.
2005, Sydney Anglo, Machiavelli - The First Century, page 552 more examples
Leninism might be defined as the desperate form of Marxism, an attempt to save Marxism by Machiavellizing it, but Marx's own work is in my view also marked by desperation.
1987, Eric Bentley, Thinking about the Playwright: Comments from Four DecadesWe must not only claim that violence is ineluctable because the future is open and "being realized," we must also hold that certain types of violence are more justified than others; we must not only agree that the politician never fails to be a Machiavelli, but show as well that history has its ruses, and Machiavellizes the Machiavellis.
1991, Jean-Francois Lyotard, Phenomenology, page 130
Origin
Cite this entry
machiavellize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/machiavellize
“machiavellize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/machiavellize. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “machiavellize,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/machiavellize.
Source: machiavellize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.